Infection Control and Microbiology Fundamentals

Vocabulary flashcards covering microbial classifications, the Chain of Infection, and key clinical terminology for healthcare environments.

Pathogen

A microbe that is specifically capable of causing illness or disease.

Nonpathogen

A microbe that is harmless and does not cause disease.

Bacteria

Simple one-celled microbes that come in shapes like cocci (round), bacilli (rods), or spirals.

Virus

The smallest microbes; they must live inside a host cell to survive and are not killed by antibiotics.

Fungi

Plant-like organisms (like yeast or mold) that love warm, dark, moist environments.

Parasite

Organisms that live on or inside a host to get food and protection (e.g., lice, scabies).

Aerobic

Bacteria that require oxygen to live and grow.

Anaerobic

Bacteria that can live and grow without oxygen.

Endospore

A hard, protective shell some bacteria build to survive harsh conditions like heat or chemicals.

Opportunistic Microbe

A normally harmless microbe that becomes a pathogen if it moves to a different part of the body.

Reservoir (The Hideout)

Where the germ lives and grows (e.g., a person, dirty water, or unwashed equipment).

Portal of Exit (The Exit Door)

How the germ leaves the reservoir (e.g., through a sneeze, cough, or blood).

Mode of Transmission (The Getaway Car)

How the germ travels (e.g., on unwashed hands, through the air, or on equipment).

Portal of Entry (The Welcome Mat)

How the germ enters the new host (e.g., a cut in the skin, a catheter, or breathing it in).

Susceptible Host (The Target)

The person who gets sick, usually someone with a weak immune system or the elderly.

Fomite

An inanimate (non-living) object that is contaminated with pathogens (e.g., bed linens, door handles).

Nonspecific Defense

The body's general protection against any germ (e.g., healthy, intact skin).

Antibodies

A specific defense mechanism developed by the body to fight off a specific, known germ.

UTI Sign (Elderly)

A new onset of confusion or disorientation, which is a major "Tell the Nurse" sign for residents.

C. Diff (Clostridium Difficile)

A bacterial infection caused when antibiotics kill "good" gut bacteria; causes severe, contagious diarrhea.